Can't speak on converting the baler, but small square bales are more attractive to the horse market and tend to bring a premium over round bales. In my area, round bales are $35-40 for 4*5s which are 900-1200 pounds (I think) that same bale can make 18-24 round bales for $3-6 a piece which would bring in 54-144 for the same amount of hay. Round bales are great if you don't have the manpower or have large acreages, but for maximizing profits on a smaller scale, square bales are king.

There is another Amish man from Ohio I believe that has made a conversion kit for Deere balers to be ground driven since the flywheel is inline with the ground wheel unlike new holland balers. There is at least one video on KZfaq with it. Makes for a very jerky ride when you are riding on the baler with no forecart.

One big issue with round bales is the weight behind the forecart. They do power them with Diesel engines on forecart which gives cart some weight. Otherwise the baler as it rolls bale can get heavy and push forecart around

scorda

It is the end of history.

This also get sshown at Horse Progress Days every year, and if I remember correctly it can run most things that take

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I think the ground drive (and horses) would struggle if the bales were much tighter. Much more power required for tighter bales.

If you check out their website, the PTO seems a little light, but also horse market favors 40-50lb bales, at least where I am

LAte reply so I don't know how usefult his is, but Farmingwithhorses.com is I and J's website that lists all the prices. its $6,600 for a heavy-duty forecart with 'the works' like brakes and such.

+Leneka Pilarski Yes I think they do

farmingwithhorses.com/hd-ground-drive-pto-forecarts/ they come with seats, though I've heard they're pretty uncomfy. This is likely a demonstration or early model.

Sludik Aaa hi I did some research because I was just as interested as you were. the red thing that the guy is sitting on is called a PTO forecart and the John Deere baler seams to be a 338 square baler 👍

farmingwithhorses.com/hd-ground-drive-pto-forecarts/

maybe late answer but it is I&J Heavy Duty Ground Drive PTO Forecart, check this farmingwithhorses.com/hd-ground-drive-pto-forecarts/

I would think that is how fast it would have to go for baling, but their website says the two options are 340/500 rpm. Technically under powered for baling, but obviously works.

Moving away from machines for farming would open the door for more people to be involved in farming. Tractors don’t eat, they only use a limited resource that is diminishing in quantity. Horse eats grass that grows every year and can be increased through breeding. In 1915 there was estimated 20 million horses in the USA. Doing 99% of the farming. Today there is around 10 million. Half as many and yet they do what .001% of the farming. Saying we can use horses to farm today bc they would eat all that is farmed is ludacris.

@@justinallmond3855 There was about 100 million people in the US in 1915, today that number has TRIPLED! You cannot produce enough food, using old school farming technology. Also, historically the less that are involved in farming, the more we can work on luxury good, art, government, education, health facilities and so on - So there's a good argument that you do not really want more people involved in farming. As for tractors, those will become electrical soon enough, probably with a methane fuel cell, with methane harvested from pig and cow poop.